Loose-leaf binder



' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOOK GOMIANY, 01 HOLYOKE, MASSACEUSE'ITS, A CIA.TION O]? GOIPARTN'ERSHIP OONSISTING OF J. W.

vonumuuur wmrscr ASSO- 'IOWNE, F. n. TOWNE, E. s.

'I'OWNE, J. M. 'I'OWNE, AN'D F. W. WILSON, 'IR'U'STEES.

LOOSE-LEAI' BINDER.

Speciflcation 01 Letters Patent.

- Application filed March 28, 1920. Serial N0. 368,179.

T0 all w/wm z't may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SGHADE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in L0ose-Leaf Binders; and I do (leclare the following t be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skillecl in the art to which it appertains t0 make and use the same.

This invention relates t0 certain new and useful improvements in loose leaf binder rings, having particular reference to that style and type disclosed and claimecl in my application, Serial N0. 327,899, and filed October 2 1919.

As in the previousapplication, a ring is er'nployed consisting of an inherently resilient coil normally constituting a section of' a helix because of its laterally separated or spacecl ends and formable into a co1nplete ring by interlocking the ends or terminal;s.

The principal object ofthe present 1mprovement resides in the novel interlock between the ring terminals resulting in a smooth j oint and a stronger and securer counection.

In the drawing;

'Figure 1 is a fragmental view 0f a loose leaf binder embodying the improved binder rings, one-of Which is disclosed as being open and the other closed:

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of my improvement in operative position:

Fig. 3 is a radial section through the im proved terminal interlock 01 joint thereof:

Fig. 4 is a transverse section thereof on line 44 of Fig. 3:

Fig. 5 is an eolge elevation, partly broken away, of a mbdified form of ring:

Fig. 6 is a radial section thereof through the interlocking ends:

Fig. 7 is an edge elevittion of another modified form of ring With the extremities normally distended, and

F'ig. 8 a.similar view of such ring showing the extremities interlocked.

The particular form 0f binder disclosed consists of two covers 1 and an inclosed filler 2 of loose sheets which are perforated with the dovers to receive the binding rings for being bound together in a looseor flex- 1ble manner.

The preferred form cf ring is disclosed 1n F lgS. 1 to 4 inclusive, and compris(s a b ody 3 0f helical form and made of ribbonl1ke W11e of a resilient character and C011- cavo -convex in. cross section. In this coun ect1on it Will be noted that the edges of the r1ng are rolled 0ver t0 form a substantially tubular body ppened about its outer peripliery as shown m ig. 1. This not only adds strength anal reinforcernent to the rii1g bntalso prov1cles a neat and rounded body lack- 1ng sharp, cutting edges.

The ends 0f the binder ring squarely abut each other am]. one terminal is formed at tl1e 1nner side of the ring with a recess 4 cles1gned to receive, interlockingly, a tongue 5. sa1d tongue being deflected utwardl int the hollow 0r annular charnber 0f the ring, as depicted in Fig. 3.

In the modified form the ring 6 is sirnilarly constructed with the exception that in cross section' the sarne is convexo-concave and the terminal hook or tongue 7 with its interlo0ked recess 8 is formecl on the outer side of the ring and is deflectecl inwardly into the hollow interior 0f the ring.

In practice, to open the ring, it is only necessary t0 pull the ends slightly apart, sufiiciently to disengage the tongue from its recess, anal then release them when said ends will spread laterally apart owing to the.

Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

twisting resiliiency inherent to the ring.-

WVhen it is desired to close 01 render the ring inoperative, the spaced ends are pressed together and slightly pulled cirbumferentially apart so as to perrnit the hook 0r tongue t0 interlockingly fit the opposing end recess.

By this construction the ends of the ring come flush together 0n a common arc Whereby.a peripherally smooth joint results with no protruding or projecting edges to catch 0n the covers and leaves 0i" the loose leaf book. The interlocking t0ngue is completely housed ancl protected within the hollow ring and securely holds the ends together against lateral displacement.

While I have shown and described the ring as concavo-convex in cross secti'on so as t0 form an open ehannel ring, it Will be clear that the edges of the metal may be brought together in substantial abutment so that in cross sect-ion the fing would be tubular, und it is imnm terial whether the 'edges of the metal meet nt the inside o1 the ou!;- vside of the ring, und therefore I do not 11m1t my invention in this respect.

AI: Fig. 7 the ring shown has its extremities equipped with interlocking hooks 9, 10, und by forcing the extremities o f th1s r1 I1g one past the other these hooks'will be 1:ead1 ly interlocked by the resiliency of the r1ng 1tself, und will present the appearance shown at Fig. 8. This form of interlocking hook ends may likewise be utilized in oonnection with any of the forms of ring 1llustrote d herein, and I therefore do not vv1sh to hm1t -my invention to any particular form of interengaging elements at the extremities of the fing, the gist of n 1y inve.ntion resting in the broad idea of a ring Which is a helical Segment so that the extremities of the ring may be forced together against the resiliency of the ring and then interlocked so as to presenf a smooth unbroken area through the entire circuit of the fing.

What is claimed is l. A binder ring made of inherently resilient ribbon-like wire rolled edgewise into tubular form and normally comprising a helical segment whose free ends are -formed into interlocking portions.

2. A hollow binder ring made of inherently resilient ribbon-like wirre rolled edgewise into tubular form and hormally shaped like a helical segment one extremity whereof has a tongue deflected to engage within the opposite extremity when the ends of the ring are forced together for interloeking purp0ses.-

3. A binder ring formed of a single strip of flat resilient metal rolled edgewise into tubular form and having its ends normally which interlock when the ends are brought l together in a common plane.

4. A loose leaf binder made of flat wire formed tubular in cross section and normallj in the form of a segment' of a helix the extremities of the ring having co111plementary portions adapted to interlock whereby all parts of the ring will be in continuous and unbroken arcuate disposition.

5. A loose leaf binder ring in the shape of a helical segment With theends in overlapping relation and normally spaced apart transversely of the ring and adapted to bei forced in endwise abutment in substantially the samo horizontal plane, said ring being formed from flat resilient wire whose side edges are rolled toward each other to make the ring tubular incross section said ends hav1ng portions which automatically interlock when such ends a1e abutted endwise and the ring slightly expanded. d

6. A loose leaf binder made of flat wire formed tubular in cross section with the edges disconnected und normally in the form of a segment of a helix the extremities of .the ring overlapping auch other in the direction of their lengths, and on e extremity having a projecting tongue tha t is bent so as to seat snugly within the other extremity whereby the ends of the ring when forced together in interlocking engagement will abut closely in arcuate disposition in the same plane.

In testirnony whereof I affix my signatuw in presence of two witnesses.

. JOHN SCHADE VVitnesses:

ZENAS D. B. HALLETT ARTHUR P. STEDMAN. 

